GAASTRA COSMIC 8.0 2013 TEST REVIEW
GAASTRA COSMIC 8.0 2013 TEST REVIEW
THE LOW-DOWN
The Cosmic shares characteristics from both it’s Matrix (no-cam freeride) and Vapor (full-on racing sail) Gaastra stablemates.
AT-A-GLANCE
Six battens with two micro leech battens
Two cams
Moderately narrow Dacron luff tube
Moulded tack fairing
Slight clew cut-out
Low-cut foot
Moderately compact outline
High build quality
Largest on test
RIGGING
Using a 460 Gaastra SDM 100% carbon gold mast we found the Cosmic completely hassle free to rig with zips on the luff at each of the cambers. It has a decent tuning range to cover a wide range of wind conditions, setting with a progressive leech twist.
PERFORMANCE
On sheeting-in the power feels in immediately, accelerating rapidly with a solid, low-down power that purrs through the gears from early planing up to full speed. We found the natural wind range impressive with excellent control in the gusts – comparable against the smaller sails in the test – and strong ability to glide through the lulls. The power is nicely balanced and controllable mainly through the backhand. In a straight-line blast this 8.0 has the feel of a race sail and the low-cut foot is handy for closing-the-gap. The handling during gybes was excellent for a sail of this size and the camber rotation super smooth.
THE VERDICT
The Gaastra Cosmic is a high quality twin cam freeride/freerace option, delivering a great mix of easy freeride handling with tonnes of bottom-end power and freerace top-end performance. If you’re shopping for a hassle-free, high-performance twin-cam sail – with a notably race-sail feel – then this is a strong contender. Suitable for powering either freeride or slalom boards for a wide range of rider abilities.
For more information on the
GAASTRA COSMIC 8.0 2013
go to gaastra.com
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